Decorative display devices for use in the home are quite popular, especially those displays which depict scenes or tableaus appropriate for particular occasions. Such devices are also prevalent in a commercial milieu where they may be used for advertising purposes, or to display particular products in a pleasing manner.
One very popular type of display device is a Christmas wreath, often hung on the outside of the front door of a house, or in a window or windows thereof. Such wreaths are most often made of suitable seasonal greenery, such as real or imitation holly or evergreen fronds. Examples of such wreaths are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos, 1,696,221 of Tubbs, 3,591,442 of Matesi and 4,100,316 of Lackey, each of which depict wreaths that may be assembled by the user. In order that the wreaths may be even more pleasing to the eye, they are often illuminated, which adds to the festive air created by the wreath. Examples of illuminated wreaths are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,033,173 of Barocas, 2,761,233 of Brown, and 3,350,555 of DiRico, all of which show means for mounting miniature light bulbs within or around the wreath. U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,035 of Franc shows a packaging ornament consisting of an illuminated wreath, wherein the electric power for the illumination is by batteries contained within or adjacent to the wreath. In many of the foregoing examples, as well as in U.S. design patent U.S. Pat. No. 206,124 of Burnbaum, a message or a scene is located in the center of the wreath and enhanced or lit by the illumination.
In all of the foregoing devices, the display of a scene or message is two-dimensional in nature, thereby placing limits on just what can be displayed, and, especially in the case of a scenic display, causing the display to lack realism and warmth. In U.S. design patent U.S. Pat. No. 168,961 of Melaragno, a wreath is shown having a single three dimensional figure of Santa Claus, which would appear to add an additional element of interest to the wreath, but the wreath itself does not appear to be readily adaptable to hanging because of the structure, being intended, instead, to stand upright on a flat surface, and it is limited, as well, in what can be displayed.